Peace on earth
by tenchi187
Summary: A Christmas Eve Story. Duo deals with a problem. A bit 9/11ish


Disclaimer: I don't not own Gundam Wing. This story was inspired by U2's "Peace on Earth" on their album "All that you

 can't leave behind." Check it out.  

Background: This is a story after Endless Waltz.  Duo is still dealing with what happen at Maxwell church. He is a bit cynical. 

Peace on Earth

"It's wonderful time of the year!" Snowflakes fell gently from the sky, dancing like sugar plum fairies over children's heads. The cold night air gave sweet kisses to ears and noses, making them blush like young schoolgirls. Christmas trees dazzled in array of whites, reds, and greens with ornaments shining like presents.  Storefront windows jiggle with dancing Santa Clauses, and gay reindeers. Red, green, white, blue, and a dash of purple and gold hung around. "Frosty the Snowman" and "Jiggle Bell Rock," blare overhead with ungodly sound. Children dart back and fort of whining, laughing, and crying. People dash to and fro looking, worrying,  and panicking, for what to get for their loved ones. Caring too much in how much they pay that than emotional price they themselves where paying.  Downtown during Christmas time. A living hell on earth.

"And I'm right in the middle of it." thought Duo. Duo looked at his watch. He was downtown, finishing his shopping for his friends and co-workers.  Duo slowly walked down the main street watching the madness around him, really not caring much about the festival around him. 

"I wonder how many people really knows what this means." Duo thought to himself. Duo snorted. "Like I can say much about it." Duo sadly smiled to himself.                                   

Duo wandered aimlessly, looking at the windows trying to figure what to get Heero for Christmas.  "Man, I have no idea what to get him. Maybe a new gun! Yeah right. Buying a gun on Christmas Eve just doesn't feel right."  Duo stopped in front of the large department store's window, idling watching the over-sized Santa Clauses ho ho hoing the night away. Duo felt sick to his stomach. Christmas time brought back things Duo didn't want to deal with.

Duo stumbled into a coffee stop, trying to calm down his stomach. "Why in hell do I have to go thru this every Christmas?" He knew why but still…

All a sudden, a low rumble came out of the ground, like thousands of children chasing after Santa Clause.

"Oh my GOD!!!!!" screamed a lady as she rush into the coffee shop. "They blew up the Center!!! Oh my God! Oh my God!!!" The lady collapsed on the ground sobbing away. ****

"Not again!" thought Duo as he rushed out of the coffee shop to see the damage to the center. He came up the disaster area.             ****

Mothers stood and  screamed. Fathers with tears falling down, looked for their children in vain. The terrorists blew up the ice ring, causing one of the main buildings to collapse onto the holiday crowds. Lovers holding each other too shock to do anything.  Duo could not believe the carnage around him. Nothing from the wars was this bad, only….. 

" NO!!!!" screamed Duo. " Not again, please God not again!" Duo fell down on his knees, watching the horror enfold around him.****

" Move it ! Move it! Damn you people move so we can get the rescue crews down here!" yelled a young woman. " Shit! Sir are you ok?" she asked Duo. Duo looked up at her though his tears. "I'm…I'm …not sure." " Well my name is Hope and are you able to walk?"

"Yeah I think so."  

"Ok." Hope gently smiled back to Duo. "Here give me your hand and I will lead you to the rescue center and someone there can help you." Duo slowly got up, dusting the dirt off his pants. ****

" Mommy?"

"Mommy?"

" Mommy!" 

Screamed a young child wandering aimless  in the debris. Chaos filled the scene. People where wandering around daze and confused. The sulfur smell of the explodes filled the air. Duo picked up the child and walk over to the trios area. He side step pools of blood. "What's that?" The child pointed and began to panic. Duo looked and turned his back to the image. " Where's mommy? I'm scared!" The child began to quiver.

" Shhh, they are looking for mommy. You're safe. Here take him." Duo handed the child off to one of the rescuers. He scanned the area and head back down. Hope scanned the damaged area. The rescue teams quickly set up grid system.  The teams where  pulling out people left and right. Hope left a sigh of relief.  

"Let me help." Hope looked up and down on Duo.

"No. Go home sir. Go home to you love ones." Hope turned around and began to walk away.

" You don't UNDERSTAND!" screamed Duo with tears treating to pour out. Hope turned and glared at him.

" No, you don't understand. You fought in the war." Duo stared at her in disbelief. Hope just waved her hand to cut him short. " Your eyes give you away. And oh, by the way, you are not train for this kind of work. Just pray for God's mercy."

"God's mercy? How dare you!" Duo spat.

Hope sadly smiled. "Because I have not lost my faith. Now I need to go back to work." Hope hand Duo her business card. " Call me after Christmas. Then we can talk." Hope walked away, walked towards the past.

Duo watched her until she disappeared into the rubble. He flipped over the card.  With cries of the dying and scent of death hanging in the air, Duo felt a small glimmer of hope in his heart. He tucked the card in his back pocket. He looked over area. He saw hope and love hard at work. There was still a chance that there would be peace on earth. Duo went home.

_Hope and History may not rhyme, but I still believe that peace we sing ever Christmas will come. May God's grace be with you._

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